Using Materials from Item a and Elsewhere Assess the Contribution of Functionalism to Our Understanding of Families and Households.

Using Materials from Item A and elsewhere assess the contribution of functionalism to our understanding of families and households.

Functionalism focuses on the positive roles played by different institutions of society, the main one being the family. Functionalism see family as a vital organisation in all societies, they are needed to meet basic needs. Functionalism stresses the positive role of the family, and its great importance for society. Functionalists argue that the family has essential functions which it must perform to meet the basic needs of society and its members. Murdock argues that this makes the family a universal institution. In performing these functions the family links up with other institutions, providing future pupils for education, workers for the economy, potential governmental opportunities, and so on. Murdock argues that the family perform four simple functions; which are sexual – this is where you satisfy your needs with one partner, reproductive – this is where you reproduce for the next generation, economic, and socialisation – being able to socialise your children. Murdock argues that the importances of these functions are so vital that they have to exist everywhere. Other sociologists such as Parsons argue that the family has to provide the primary socialisation of children, to ensure the safety of society’s culture and the stabilisation of adult personalities. The family performs VITAL functions of society, and for all the individual members’ init. “The family reproduces the next generation and thereby ensures the continuation of society over time” The quote explains that if there was no such thing as a family, then there would be no sexual satisfactions, as a result of this there would be no reproducing, and therefore could lead to the dying out of the population, which means humans would become extinct. “Functionalists tend to see the nuclear family as the ideal family type...

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‘UsingMaterialFromItem A and elsewhere, assess the contribution of functionalism to ourunderstanding of families and households’
According to functionalist sociologists, the family is a key institution of society. It performs vitals functions for the maintenance of society as a whole and for the benefit of all its individual members, for example according to George peter Murdock, it provides for the stable satisfaction of the sex drive and thus avoids the social disruption and conflict that could be caused by sexual ‘free for all.’ The family also reproduces the next generations and thereby ensures the continuation of society over time.
Functionalists tend to see the nuclear family as the ideal family type for modern society. For example, Parsons argues that it is the family structure best equipped to meet the need of industrial society for mobile labour force. The nuclear family performs two essential functions. Firstly when Britain began to industrialise from the 18th century onwards then the extended family became redundant and made way for the nuclear family. Parsons believes that this change happened because the needs of the society changed, he identified that...

...UsingmaterialfromItem A and elsewhere, assess the contribution of functionalism to ourunderstanding of families and households.
In this essay, with the use of information fromItem A and elsewhere, I will go into an extent to explain the functionalist view of understanding of the role of families and households.
Functionalists believe that society is based on a shared value consensus, this is a set of shared norms and values into which society socialises its members, This enables society to work without any disagreements and meet society’s goals and needs. Functionalists believe that the family is regarded as a basic building block of society. George Murdock (1949) argues that the family performs four functions to meet the needs of society and its members. These functions are; economic needs, reproduction, primary socialisation and sex. Economic function is providing shelter and food for all family members. Sexual function is allowing the sex drive to be satisfied with one partner and therefore preventing conflict. Reproductive function means to produce next generation; have kids. Socialisation function is teaching the norms and values of society to offsprings.
He...

...offer to families and households is something that functionalists seem to do in a variety of ways. Functionalism is a consensus theory (as stated in Item A). This means that it argues society is built on a consensus, or a general agreement amidst members on how society should be ordered and organised. They believe that family is one of the pivotal social institutions (which are parts in society involved in the socialisation process) along with mass media, education and peer group). Functionalism looks at the family functions and jobs that they perform. The functionalist George Murdock believes that the nuclear family is universal, therefore meaning that it’s found worldwide, and that is the best family type/institution for performing the 4 functions that functionalists believe are the foundations of successful families. Sexual function (Staying with one sexual partner and fulfilling their sex drive, this is beneficial as it avoids conflict.) Economic function (administering food and shelter for members of your family, this is positive as it protects them and keeps them healthy). Reproductive function (Delivering the future generation, beneficial so that humans don’t die out).Educational function (Whereby you teach your offspring the norms and values in society this being profitable as your children will then be accepted...

...﻿Usingmaterialfromitem 2b and elsewhereassess the contribution of functionalist sociologists to ourunderstanding of the family.
Functionalists employ the idea of the nuclear family being the main universal family in society and most benefitting. The nuclear family functions to meet the pro dominant means of society (sexual reproduction, educational and economic functions). The family allows each member of the family to shine individually and enjoy success. Functionalist Charles Murray also argues other family institutions weaken the production of society’s needs. Divorce is ultimately highlighted as one of the main causes of this creation of new reconstituted families which are presumably less effective in meeting the functional needs of society through the family.
It is useful to consider how the family supports wider society. Functionalism considers this by deciding what functions the family must perform and therefore which type would suit society best.
Another way Functionalism suggests that the family supports society is the basic functions a family performs. Murdock (1949) said that there are four basic functions: Reproductive,...

...﻿Assess the contribution of Marxism to ourunderstanding of families and households (24 marks)
Marxists see all society’s institutions as helping to maintain class inequality and Capitalism. Therefore, the main contribution of Marxism to families and households has been to explain how the family functions to maintain the interests of the bourgeoisie, and maintain the Capitalist system. Marxists’ contributions have drawn much criticism from New Right and Functionalist sociologists, who question whether Marxism can help us to understand the family in contemporary society.
Marxists are all in agreement that there are several functions of the family that are fulfilling for capitalism. Marxism is a believer in the separation of classes and the oppression of the lower working class. Marxists would argue that capitalist society is separated in to two social classes.
Engels would say that monogamy became more important so that the children of the capitalist classes would be able to inherit their parent’s property, companies and wealth. He argues that Capitalism depends on the patriarchal monogamous nuclear family. As women were becoming wives to working, successful husbands, they then became designed directly to do housework and socialise the children. A criticism...

...Item A
According to some sociologists, children in today’s supposedly child-centred society leas lives that are segregated and controlled, but childhood was not always like this. For example, Aries describes a medieval world in which, children were not actually the equals of adults, they nevertheless mixed freely with adults in both work and leisure. Little distinction was drawn between adults and children.
According to this view, however, industrialisation brought major changes to the position of children to the position of children. The development of industrial society meant that their lives were increasingly confined, disciplined and regulated by adults. The result is that in the West today, adults exercise a control over children’s time, space and bodies that would have been unimaginable to medieval society.
Not all sociologists share this view of modern childhood, however. Some argue that the distinction between childhood and adulthood is becoming blurred.
UsingmaterialfromItem A and elsewhere, assess sociological explanations of changes in the status of childhood.
(24 marks)
Sociologist’s see childhood as socially constructed. This means that childhood is created and defined by society even though it may seem natural or biological. These sociologists argue; what people mean by childhood, and the position that children occupy in society, is not fixed but...

...members. This enables society to work harmoniously and able to meet its needs and goals. Functionalists believe that the family is regarded as a basic building block of society. George Murdoch (1949) argues that the family performs four essential functions to meet the needs of society and its members. These functions are; economic needs, reproduction, primary socialisation and sex. He believes that those needs can only be achieved within a nuclear family. However, some sociologists would argue that these needs can be met in other ways than within the family. For example, other family types such as an extended family or institutions such as the Kibbutz in Israel can be used for primary socialisation and economic security. Other needs such as reproduction and sex can also be met by sperm donors or prostitution.
Marxist and Feminist sociologists have criticised Murdoch’s theory. They say that Functionalism ignores conflict and exploitation within society. Feminists see the family as being patriarchal and serving the needs of men and Marxists see the family as meeting the needs of capitalism and not the needs of the family members.
According to Parsons there are two types of society; pre and post industrial. Parsons argues that when Britain began to industrialise from the 18th century onwards then the extended...

...﻿UsingmaterialfromItem A and elsewhereassess the contribution of functionalism to ourunderstanding of the role of education (20 Marks)
In this essay I am going to assess the role and purpose of education in society according to different sociologists. I will go through some sociological theories and evaluate their perspectives usingmaterialfromItem A. I will then look at criticisms from different sociological theories, then I will draw up a conclusion to my analysis and evaluation.
Functionalists take a very positive view of education. They see it as a bridge between the family and wider society. The family operates on different standards compared to education and wider society. The family operates on particularistic standards whereas education and wider society operate by universalistic standards which makes education very useful because this means that children will learn to cope when they get put out of the home environment and into another setting. This is a perspective shared by Durkheim and Parsons.
Parsons also thinks that education operates on meritocratic principles. He thinks that through your own hard work and effort you will get the jobs you want and get the top ones which are highly...